Between the iPhone SE (3rd gen) and Xiaomi 16 Ultra, the iPhone SE (3rd gen) comes out ahead in weight, while the Xiaomi 16 Ultra wins on wireless charging and wired charging. Overall, the iPhone SE (3rd gen) scores 40.7 and the Xiaomi 16 Ultra scores 74.3 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Xiaomi 16 Ultra is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 33.6 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
Pick the iPhone SE (3rd gen) if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. The biggest gaps in its favor are weight.
Pick the Xiaomi 16 Ultra if you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. Its strongest claims are wireless charging, wired charging, front camera, among others.
Both ship with comparable 5g support, optical image stabilization, promised os updates, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Xiaomi 16 Ultra is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) wins
- ▲Weight — 85.00 g less. 144 vs 229.
Why Xiaomi 16 Ultra wins
- ▲Wireless charging — 966.67% more. 80 W vs 7.5 W.
- ▲Wired charging — 400.00% more. 100 W vs 20 W.
- ▲Front camera — 357.14% more. 32 MP vs 7 MP.
- ▲Main camera — 316.67% more. 50 MP vs 12 MP.
- ▲RAM — 300.00% more. 16 GB vs 4 GB.
- ▲AnTuTu — 278.21% more. 2950000 vs 780000.
- ▲Battery capacity — 197.32% more. 6000 mAh vs 2018 mAh.
- ▲Refresh rate — 100.00% more. 120 Hz vs 60 Hz.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) | Xiaomi 16 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 144 glead | 229 g |
| Thickness | 7.3 mmlead | 9.2 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP67 | IP68lead |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) | Xiaomi 16 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 4.7 " | 6.73 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 326 ppi | 522 ppilead |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 60 Hz | 120 Hzlead |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 625 nits | 3200 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) | Xiaomi 16 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 12 MP | 50 MPlead |
| Front camera | 7 MP | 32 MPlead |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) | Xiaomi 16 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 2018 mAh | 6000 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 20 W | 100 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 7.5 W | 80 Wlead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) | Xiaomi 16 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) | Xiaomi 16 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| OS | iOSlead | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 5 years | 5 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, iPhone SE (3rd gen) or Xiaomi 16 Ultra?+
Xiaomi 16 Ultra has 197.3% more battery — 2018 mAh vs 6000 mAh.
Which is lighter, iPhone SE (3rd gen) or Xiaomi 16 Ultra?+
iPhone SE (3rd gen) is 85g lighter — 144g vs 229g.
Is iPhone SE (3rd gen) waterproof?+
iPhone SE (3rd gen) has an IP67 rating.
Does Xiaomi 16 Ultra support 5G?+
Yes, Xiaomi 16 Ultra supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, iPhone SE (3rd gen) or Xiaomi 16 Ultra?+
Xiaomi 16 Ultra offers 16GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, iPhone SE (3rd gen) or Xiaomi 16 Ultra?+
Xiaomi 16 Ultra has a 50 MP main camera vs 12 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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